Wine Wednesday

 

A wine tasting set up at a back street market lures passersby.

Wodka Wednesday

 

Vodka. Tout simplement.

 

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Over 100 different vodkas

 

- Creative cocktails - Organized tastings - Vodka and chocolate... -

 

Vodka Lab

57 rue Saint-Maur 75011

 

Le Blog

 

 

Tipple Tuesday

 There's still time to sample this year's Beaujolais Nouveau in almost any Paris wine bar!

Below: this barman clearly enjoys his job 

Boozy rouge

Two-day countdown to celebrating this year's Beaujolais Nouveau.

Thursday November 18th

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Yesterday I was asked by a tourist at a local café, "What region of France does Beaujolais come from?" Of course the answer is Beaujolais, but it struck me, slightly, like that old trick question, "Who is buried in Grant's tomb?"

Mais c'est vrai... It's not obvious.

 American wines harken to grape varieties - Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris... Whereas French wines are all about the region: Burgundy,
Alsace, Armagnac and Cognac, Beaujolais and Lyonnais, Bordeaux, Champagne (and only Champagne please), Jura, Provence.... The wide variety of climates in France translates into a wide variety of wines, each region's wines endowed with overall attributes such as light, sweet, acidic.... 

The huge U.S. wine market has been and still is driven by the concept of "single varietal" wines as blending was seen as a way of improving poor quality wine, whereas in France the historic approach has been to bring the best of everything to make the end-product greater than the sum of the parts with blends... be that as Chablis, Claret, Burgundy or Beaujolais....  More single varietal wines - not necessarily AOPs - are being shipped to the U.S. and "regional" labels now include varietals, primarily because of exporting to the U.S.

 This year's Beaujolais Nouveau, a primeur or young wine, is expected to be round and fruity and, as every year, and in my opinion, best sampled with a planche of charcuteries. - BPJ

Where to find it

Also in supermarkets and wine shops everywhere

5-10 euros a bottle

A wine, a cheese

Exquisite French cheeses with what else? Exquisite French wines.

Legrand Filles et Fils
 Galerie Vivienne 75002

- elevated tables - counter seating - wine tastings -

A taste of Paris

 

 

The capital's most must-attend food event of the year ends Sunday May 20, 2018.

TASTE OF PARIS
Greatest gastronomy festival in the world

Grand Palais 
3 avenue du Général Eisenhower 75008

Above: mega chef de cuisine Thierry Marx at work